The best racers in the PDRA’s professional and sportsman classes will get the chance to square off in a brand-new event, the Summit Racing Equipment ProStars, series officials announced today. The specialty race will take place during Virginia Motorsports Park’s Night of Fire on July 31.
The top 8 racers in ProStars points will qualify to compete in the event, which requires no entry fee and will pay out over $55,000 in prize money, with a winner-take-all format in all classes. ProStars points will be determined using the final three races of the 2020 season and the first five events of 2021. Racers must attend a minimum of five PDRA national events to be eligible.
“This is a unique way for us to reward the racers who support the PDRA throughout the season,” said Tyler Crossnoe, series director, PDRA. “We have so many racers who make a point to attend every race, and now those drivers and teams will earn the opportunity to race for a nice chunk of bonus money in front of a big crowd at one of VMP’s marquee events, the Night of Fire.”
Ten of PDRA’s professional and sportsman classes will have the chance to race in the Summit Racing Equipment ProStars. The top 8 racers in Switzer Dynamics Pro Nitrous will square off with the top 8 in Penske/PRS Pro Boost presented by WS Construction for $20,000. Liberty’s Gears Extreme Pro Stock will race for $10,000, while $hameless Racing Pro Outlaw 632 will chase $7,500.
The top 8 in MagnaFuel Elite Top Sportsman presented by Tejas Borja will take on Lucas Oil Elite Top Dragster’s best 8 for $7,500. The same goes for the top 8 in the regular Top Sportsman and Top Dragster fields. The leading 8 in Coolshirt Pro Jr. Dragster and Gilbert Motorsports Top Jr. Dragster will each race for $2,000.
The ProStars points standings will be calculated using a unique points breakdown. PDRA will award 40 points for completing a qualifying run, 10 points for each round win, and a 2-point bonus for an event win. Pro racers will earn a 1-point bonus for each holeshot round win, while sportsman racers will get a 1-point bonus for dead-on round wins.
“This outside-the-box format is going to result in some never-before-seen matchups and some incredible racing,” Crossnoe said. “You’re going to see Pro Nitrous stars facing off against Pro Boost hitters and PDRA sportsman racing’s best racing each other for the first time. It’s going to be a cool deal for the racers and fans alike.”
Summit Racing Equipment, a leading automotive parts company, signed on to support the ProStars event as the title sponsor. It’s the company’s first foray into the PDRA brand of eighth-mile drag racing.
“The PDRA has some incredible cars and super-competitive racers,” said Jim Greenleaf, Motorsports & Event Manager, Summit Racing Equipment. “It’s something that’s been on our radar for a few years now, since Tommy [Franklin] took over. The timing was right for us to get involved with this exciting new event. We’ve seen the series continue to grow and we’re just excited to get involved and look forward to being a part of it as it continues to grow and evolve.”
In addition to sponsoring the ProStars event, Summit Racing Equipment has joined the PDRA’s growing list of contingency sponsors. Racers in every PDRA category, from Pro Nitrous to Top Jr. Dragster, will be eligible to earn contingency money from Summit.
“Contingency is just a great way to give back to the racers,” Greenleaf said. “It’s supporting the racers who are supporting us, plain and simple. We’re involved in a lot of different contingency programs, and we’re excited to add PDRA to that list. You can’t sponsor every racer. This is our chance to give every racer the opportunity to get a little something from us.”
For more information on the Summit Racing Equipment ProStars, visit www.PDRA660.com
